Are you hoping to shed the dad-bod and chisel a muscular body that commands attention and symbolises your power? Like many others, you might be searching for fast yet effective muscle-building strategies for men. However, a muscular physique is not just about aesthetics. As pointed out by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), it can facilitate weight management, reduce the risk of chronic diseases, and improve mental health. These benefits become particularly vital for men as they get older, as they tend to lose 3% to 5% of their muscle mass every ten years after the age of 30, as stated by Harvard Health Publishing.
The harsh reality is that due to the incessant responsibilities of work, family, and other life commitments, spending countless hours at the gym isn't a viable option for many. That's where we at ETNT come in. We sought advice from Michael Masi, DPT, a physical therapy doctor and certified strength and conditioning coach with Garage Gym Reviews, who generously shared 11 muscle-building tips specifically designed for guys aiming to achieve tangible results without sacrificing their precious time and energy. Whether you're a beginner aiming to bulk up or an experienced weightlifter seeking that extra boost, these tips could expedite your progress and optimize your efficiency. Keep reading to discover more.
Ensure Proper Protein Intake
Undeniably, sufficient intake of protein is crucial for muscle development. A 2018 study appearing in Nutrients implies that achievement of muscle growth revolves around consuming 1.6 to 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily - ideally distributed over three or four meals. Food such as lean meats, poultry, fish, dairy products, along with beans and tofu are excellent choices of protein contributing to the growth and recovery of muscles.
"Folks trying to foster muscle growth require more than just stimuli for growth. Protein, containing the necessary elements for muscle development, is also important," Masi explains. High-quality protein sources include meat, dairy products, and eggs. However, good proteins can still be found in beans, legumes, and soy-based products."
Ensure Sufficient Caloric Intake
For muscle growth, your body needs ample energy, hence the importance of consuming adequate calories. This, however, doesn't mean indulging in unhealthy foods excessively. Prioritize nutrient-rich wholesome foods that serve as effective fuel for your body.
Maintaining muscle growth in a caloric deficiency can be exceptionally challenging, explains Masi. He suggests a more efficient path to muscle enhancement is through adequate calorie consumption that allows for a slight caloric surplus. He recommends a gradual weight gain of around 0.5 to one pound per week as it promotes muscle development without leading to significant fat accumulation.
Engage in Resistance Training
Masi suggests that our bodies are designed to adapt to the stimuli we expose them to regularly. When you subject yourself to resistance training consistently, your body responds by signaling its need to build stronger muscles to better cope with future exercise sessions. This applies equally in the reverse scenario where a lack of resistance training results in muscle deterioration. Therefore, finding a sustainable resistance training program is crucial for long-term muscle health.
Whether you're a fan of lifting weights, using resistance bands, or prefer bodyweight exercises, studies have demonstrated that strength or resistance training plays a vital role in promoting muscle growth. It would be beneficial to incorporate strength training into your workout regime, with particular emphasis on compound exercises that target multiple muscle groups simultaneously.
Engage in exercises that work multiple joints
Engaging in compound movements like squats, hinges, presses, rows, cleans, and pull-ups involves a mix of muscle activities across various joints, points out Masi. This engagement implies that more muscles are functioning simultaneously compared to when executing exercises that work only one joint. The outcome is an increased excretion of anabolic hormones after workouts.
A study conducted in 2015 and published in Physiological Reports revealed that exercises working on multiple joints such as squats, deadlifts, and bench presses engage more muscle fibers leading to escalated muscle growth. On the down side, these movements are often more technical compared to others, hence the need for correct form to minimize the probability of injuries.
Maintain proper hydration
Maintaining adequate hydration is frequently disregarded in muscle development, but it is crucial for optimal performance and recuperation. A lack of hydration could result in muscle spasms, weariness, and reduced muscular strength, so it's vital to consume sufficient water throughout your day.
Keeping oneself hydrated impacts your blood volume, according to Masi, which plays a key role during workouts. "When engaged in resistance training, your body augments blood circulation to the aimed tissues. The main purpose of this increased blood flow is to deliver the vital components to the muscle that are required for ATP (energy) production and to clear out the metabolic remnants of that energy system. This causes a feeling of swelling, commonly known as 'the pump,' which is closely linked to muscle augmentation."
Place Emphasis on Sleep
It's not during intense workouts that muscle development occurs. It is during sound sleep that the body repairs the most, and builds up muscles. A study indicates a strong correlation between the quality of sleep and strength of muscles. Strive for between 7 to 9 hours of good sleep each night to foster your muscle growth ambitions.
Masi explains, "Every repetition during your workout essentially weakens you. It's only during rest and recovery that you begin to experience the benefits of your diligence. If you don't rest enough, you're discouraging muscle development, and impairing recovery for future workouts."
Focus on wholesome carbohydrates
According to a study, carbohydrates function as the primary fuel for our bodies, specifically during strenuous workouts. It's best to choose complex carbs, such as whole grains, fruits, and veggies, which provide stable and continuous energy.
Masi emphasizes, "Carbohydrates trigger insulin— a crucial anabolic hormone. Stored in skeletal muscle along with water molecules, carbohydrates contribute to muscle enlargement and fullness. Additionally, they're a reliable energy source, which is vital if your goal is muscle gain."
Avoid Over-Dependence on Supplements
"Supplements can provide some advantages, but the benefits are often minimal," states Masi. "Creatine monohydrate has been extensively studied and is considered secure and effective. If you're finding it difficult to meet the protein objectives we discussed previously, whey protein powders can also be a reasonable addition. Despite the ability of pre-workouts to enable an extra gym repetition or two, their primary component is caffeine which is also present in coffee or energy drinks."
Though supplements can be beneficial, they are not a substitute for a well-rounded diet. Prioritize gaining your nutrients from natural food sources and employ supplements to bridge any nutritional gaps.
Manage your repetitions
It's important to focus on the way you execute your repetitions. Prioritize correct form and deliberate movements over simply hoisting heavy weights. Adopting this approach minimizes the risk of injuries and enables you to focus on the correct muscle groups.
"By mastering your repetitions, you can extend the total time the muscles are under stress, a key contributing factor for muscle growth. It emphasizes the eccentric (downward) phase of the lift, a notably intense type of muscle contraction. This phase causes more internal disruptions than its isometric or concentric counterparts. These disruptions act as a strong catalyst for muscle development,” explains Masi.
Activate your Mind-Muscle Bond
Evidence has confirmed that pondering the muscle you're working on during each workout is advantageous for muscle gain by cultivating the power of the mind-muscle link. More efficient stimulation and engagement of the intended muscle group can be facilitated by this brain-muscle bond. Check out this Research for more information.
According to Masi, you should experience a working sensation in the intended muscle during the reps. He describes it as a tightening, scorching, or stretching feeling that intensifies with each repetition. After exercising, fatigue should be present, and occasionally there can be a delay in muscle soreness in the planned tissue. These sensations provide evidence of accurately targeting the intended tissues.
Keep Track of Your Progress
Masi states, "Improvements can be gradual, and due to evaluating yourself daily, you may miss these minute changes. It's advisable to take photos to compare differences over time". Another approach is to use a seamstress tape to take measurements of various body parts such as your chest, waist, hips, arms, forearms, neck, calves, and quads. This method provides a more empirical number to verify that whatever action you are currently undertaking is at least propelling you in the right direction.
Be sure to document your workouts, jotting down the specific exercises performed, the weights used, and the number of repetitions. Keeping a record of your progress assists you in establishing targets and enables you to visualize the strides made in your journey to build muscle.
